Created page with "* ''Maesh Crari''、カシミールのモッツァレラチーズと称される。円盤状に整形されたチーズに唐辛子、ターメリック、塩をまぶし、マスタードオイルで揚げると、外側はカリッと黄金色になり、内側は柔らかくクリーミーな状態になる。 * ''Kudan''、珍しいグッジャール族のヤギチーズで、パニールに似ているが、よりもろく、フェタチーズに近い。''Kudan''..."
* ''Maesh Crari''., described as ''the mozzarella of Kashmir''. The discs are first coated with chilli, turmeric and salt, and then fried in mustard oil until they form a crisp, golden outer layer and the inside stays soft and creamy.
* ''Kudan'', a rare Gujjar goat cheese that looks like paneer but is more crumbly and akin to feta. Kudan is prepared in Bakerwal tents by heating some mustard oil in a pot on fire and then mixing some salt, turmeric and chilli along with the ''kudan'' cheese curds. Everything melts together into a golden liquid flecked with red chilli and small nuggets of ''kudan''.
カシミール産サフランは、その香気、色、薬効で知られている。パンポール町のサフランは、イラン産がクロシン含有量6.82%であるのに対し、8.72%と superior な品質であるとされている。2020年5月、カシミール産サフランは地理的表示タグを与えられた。スパイスのshahi zeera(帝国クミン、またはブラッククミン)はセリ科に属し、当初はグレズ渓谷のジャングルで見られた。これらの通常の brown zeeraとは異なるダークな種子は、その香り、比較的珍しいこと、形状のため優れたな品質である。
Nader ti Gaad、イード、ナウルーズ、ガーディー・バッティ(カシミール・パンディットの祭り)などの祝日に調理される珍味で、レンコンと共に調理された魚(ビロース、ゾブ、インディアン・メジャー・カープ、カトラ、ロフ、マルガリータ、マフシール、スノートラウト、ナイジャー、チュシュ、クロント、チュルなど)。
Mujh Gaad、大根と好みの魚を使った料理。
Haak Gaad、カシミールほうれん草で調理された魚のカレー。
Gada Ta Gogjee/Monjje/Band Gupi、カブ、コールラビ、またはキャベツと共に調理された魚。
Gaad Ta Chounth、青リンゴと共に調理された魚。
Gaad Qaliya、黄色いグレービーの魚。
Ruwangan/Tamatar Gaad、トマトグレービーで繊細に調理された白い川魚。
Kong Gaad、サフランの花と魚。
Gaad Leij、伝統的なカシミール様式で調理され、nadurなどの野菜と共に提供されるマス。
Gaad Ta Obuj、魚と野生のobuj(ギシギシ)。
Hogada Ta Haakh/Bum、乾燥魚(ボリナオなど)と'karam'菜または乾燥スイレンの茎。
Kanz Ta Gaad/Guran、魚または小魚、または非常に小さな乾燥魚を、わずかに発酵させたが非アルコール性の飲み物sadre kaenzと共に調理したもの。昔は、近所の家族がkaenzを作ると、必要なときにいつでも残りの家族も同様に使えるものと理解されていた。この人気料理の唐辛子やショウガ粉のような惜しみなく使われるスパイスの辛さは、このライスビールのような醸造物の冷却効果によって和らげられることになっている。
Kashmiris are fond of sugar. Common sweetmeats are:
Halwa, sweetmeat originally made of honey, camel's milk, cashew nuts, and many other ingredients and brought from the Persian Gulf, via Bombay, in saucers to United India in the nineteenth century. Halwa tradition reached Kashmir towards the end of the nineteenth century.
Chounth Halwa.
Barfi, a milk-based sweet dish.
Khatai, a Kashmiri sweet biscuit that crumbles on each bite.
Khir, rice pudding.
Phirin, a sweet pudding of condensed milk with soji mixed with dry fruit like raisins, almonds, cashews, and pistachios, sprinkled with rose-water.
Kong Phirin, saffron flavoured rice pudding garnished with nuts.
Seemni, vermicelli kheer.
Shufta, a traditional dessert made with chopped dry fruits, spices like pepper powder, cardamom and more, in sugar syrup, garnished with rose petals.
Mitha Kanagucchi, morels in syrup.
Kofta Khumani, mince apricots.
Kashmiri Roth.Roth, something between a cake and a bread, these sweet rotis made with flour, ghee, yoghurt, poppy seeds, eggs (on special occasions) and sugar are a domestic favourite. The art of baking a perfect roth is as much an acquired skill as it is a relearned discipline passed down from generations.
Basrakh, A sweet delicacy made from flour with a touch of ghee.
Tosha, an age-old Kashmiri dessert.
Lyde, kashmiri dessert made with whole wheat flour.
Nabad, sugar crystallised in an earthen pot or a copper container like Naat and then carved out as a solid sugar ball in a semi-round shape, bigger than a football.
Gulkand, indigenous rose (koshur gulaab) preserved in a sugar base. Non-Kashmiri roses are not used in this formulation. In place of sugar, honey can also be mixed with rose petals.
Matka Kulfi, kulfi topped with cold noodles.
Kesar Kulfi.
Dry Fruit Kulfi.
English pastry
Before 1918, Abdul Ahad Bhat, of Ahdoos, was under the tutelage of English bakers at Nedou's, a hotel in Srinagar owned by Austro-Swiss Michael Nedou. He quickly picked up the art of baking, and started a small bakery, the first by a Kashmiri at that time. Ahdoos's forte was English goodies, and as India inched towards freedom from British Rule he added Kashmiri items to the menu. Mughal Darbar was established on Residency Road in 1984 and on the road parallel is Jee Enn, founded by Ghulam Nabi Sofi in 1972. Many of the owners and staff of these new bakeries have trained in Ahdoos. The variety of pastries include:
Chicken or Mutton Patty, meat seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic, encased in layered puff pastry.
Puffs.
Cream Rolls.
Cream Buns.
Coconut Macaroons.
Walnut Macaroons.
Walnut Tart, made possible by the easy availability of walnut kernels in Kashmir.
Walnut Fudge, an exclusivity of Kashmir's Moonlight Bakery, the recipe contains 'snow-white walnuts' from Uri and honey and dates from local market.
Qandarwan
The Kashmir Valley is noted for its bakery tradition, that of the qandarwan. Nowhere else in the Indian subcontinent can be found such a huge variety of leavened breads, another pointer to the Central Asian influence on Kashmiris' food habits. On the Dal Lake in Kashmir or in downtown Srinagar, bakery shops are elaborately laid out. Bakers sell various kinds of breads with golden brown crusts topped with sesame and poppy seeds.
Different kinds of traditional Kashmiri breads include:
Tsoet and Tsoechvor/Tilvor are crisp and flaky small round breads topped with khaskhash (poppy) and til (sesame) seeds. A local bagel of about three inches diameter and six inches circumference, the upper half is soft and the lower crust is crispy. It is the evening/afternoon bread.
Sheermal, a saffron flavoured traditional flatbread said to have originated in Iran. It is offered in both sweet and flavourful versions. The sheermal bread is usually dented with multiple patterns bordering on corresponding lines.
Baqerkhayn (puff pastry), Kashmiri bakerkhani has a special place in Kashmiri cuisine. It is similar to a round naan in appearance, but crisp and layered, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It is typically consumed hot during breakfast.
Lavasa, thin unleavened flat bread, white in colour, made of maida (finely-milled wheat flour). It is a paper-thin blistered naan. Some lavasas are soft while others are crispy.
Girda, made with dough that has been fermented overnight, rolls of dough are flattened out by hand and finger impressions are pressed into it to give you lines that run down its length. Girda and lavas are served with butter.
Kulcha, baked exclusively with ghee, this small, hard, dry, crumbly bread, is usually round in shape. It is decorated by placing a peanut in the centre of the upper face.
Roth khabar, a cake-like sweet bread made in traditional tandoor and covered with dry fruits.
Wazwan (ks) is a multi-course meal in Kashmiri cuisine, originating from Kashmir. It is a unique component of Kashmiri culture.
Almost all the dishes are meat-based using lamb, beef or mutton with few vegetarian dishes. It is popular throughout the larger Kashmir region. Moreover, Wazwan is also served internationally at Kashmiri food festivals and reunions.
all dishes are prepared according to halal standards. For vegetarians, there are distinctive delicacies such as Dum Alve, Nadur (lotus stem), Haakh (collard greens), Kashmiri vegetarian pulao is a flavorful dish prepared with aromatic Kashmiri spices, vegetables, and a mix of dried fruits, creating a rich and delightful culinary experience.
Beverages
Noon Chai or Sheer Chai
Kashmiris are heavy tea drinkers. Kashmiris don't use the word "Kashmiri Chai". The word "Noon" in Kashmiri means salt. The most popular drink is a pinkish coloured salted tea called "noon chai." It is made with black tea, milk, salt and bicarbonate of soda. The particular color of the tea is a result of its unique method of preparation and the addition of soda. The Kashmiri Hindus more commonly refer to this chai as "Sheer Chai." The Kashmiri Muslims refer to it as "Noon Chai" or "Namkeen Chai", both meaning salty tea.
Noon Chai or Sheer Chai is a common breakfast tea in Kashmiri households and is taken with breads like baqerkhani brought fresh from Qandur (Kashmiri : کاندر ) or bakers. It is one of the most basic and essential food items in a Kashmiri household. Tea was as served in large samavars. Now, the use of Samavars is limited to special occasions and normally kettles are used.
Nuts like almonds and pistachios and edible rose petals can also be added before serving and sometimes malai or fresh cream is added to give the tea viscosity and richness.
Natural mineral water
According to a 2022 study by the University of Kashmir, 87% of springs in Kashmir valley have excellent to good water quality. A large part of the society, particularly those living in rural and backward areas, depends on spring water. Most villagers believe spring water is the purest form of water due to a spiritual connection with the shrines.
From one of the oldest and purest spring waters of Kashmir, the Kokernag Spring, Bringi Spring Water has high alkalinity and is well balanced with minerals.
Babribyol
The Babribyol sharbat is a concoction of sweetened milk, rose water or Rooh Afza syrup, and soaked sweet basil seeds that are grown locally.
Lyaess
Made from yoghurt or kefir, Kashmiri lassi (lyaess) is a liquid, salty way to drink up yoghurt. The process of churning the buttermilk with a wooden choomph or churner is rhythmic and there is an art involved. The yoghurt has to be churned the right way, the buttery fats have to float to the top in a nice froth, the spices and dried mint leaves have to be just right.
Sadr-e-kaenz
This fermented rice water drink is supposed to be very good for a sluggish liver.
Shahi Sheera
Made by extracting the juice of different berries, it is prepared at home during Ramadan. It features in 1977 Kashmiri film Arnimaal where guests are sipping on the beverage during wedding festivities.
Food and beverage pairings
The traditional Kashmiri wazwan, which comprises slow-cooked meat dishes is a wonderful pairing that enhances the spicy notes of whisky. The Loire Valley wine Sancerre goes well with Kashmiri goshtabeh. A ripe fruity red works well with the full bodied roghan josh. A recommended wine to try with is Montepulciano.
Special occasions and festivals
Eid-ul-Fitr
While on fast, Muslims avoid consuming food during the day, while at dusk, they indulge in extra-special, bountiful meals prepared during the day. The menu for Ramadan month includes khajur ka laddoo (date balls), babribyol (basil seeds), kulfi, phirin, seemni, fruit chaat, fruit custard, kateer (a drink loaded with health benefits) and noon chai. The smell of slow-cooked mutton hovers, fragrant and sultry in the air, and despite the familiar air of unpredictability in Srinagar, spirits are high and streets are filled with happy greetings of Eid Mubarak.
Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of 30 days of Ramadan. After attending Eid prayers at a mosque or Eidgah, families return home to welcome guests. A common tradition on Eid morning is serving Kehwa (saffron tea) and chai (milk tea), accompanied by an assortment of bakery items such as cakes, cookies, ghee tchot (a tandoor-baked flatbread), pastries, and savoury snacks like chicken and mutton patties.
Well-to-do families often prepare select Wazwan dishes, including kebabs, rista (meatballs in gravy), shami kebabs, and chicken pieces. Other delicacies like kanti (stir-fried meat), mutton or chicken tikki are served with sauces and green chutney (dhaniya chutney), especially when entertaining special guests like sons-in-law.
For lunch, rice is the staple, served with a variety of homemade dishes, almost all featuring meat. A notable preparation is yakhni, a traditional dish made with fresh curd and mild spices, offering a rich yet subtle flavor.
Eid-ul-Adha
The day begins with the Fajr (dawn) prayer and a breakfast of bakery goods with dodh kehwa (milky green tea). As the festival draws to a close, most well-to-do families start placing orders with the wazas for the feast, which is cooked by chefs at their own places and then sold to the customers for serving at their homes. Sacrificial animals include Delhi Walla, Merino Cross, Bakerwal and Kashmiri varieties of sheep.
Urs of Hazrat Sheikh Dawood
Only vegetarian food is supplied to devotees. Majority of people in Batmaloo and adjoining areas turn vegetarian and do not eat meat or chicken. They widely consume dried turnips (gogji aare) because it is believed, during Dawood's time, sundried turnips helped Kashmir survive a famine.
Urs of Khwaja Masood Wali
The people of Pampore cook dried vegetables, eggs, cheese and other food stuff except meat and invite their relatives, friends on lunch or dinner to keep the tradition of the saint alive.
Urs of Dastageer Sahab
In Khanyar and Sarai Bala areas of Srinagar, the devotees are seen outside the shrines where local and non-local business establishments install their carts and are seen selling the Kashmiri traditional food stuff. Pious men sing hearty hymns over offerings of dates and sweets.
Urs of Raeshmol Saheb
People in Anantnag district in southern Kashmir quit eating meat as a mark of respect for the 16th century mystic. Rarely is a butcher shop open during these seven days. For three-and-a-half days each before and after the saint's Urs, people eat radish braised in tamarind.
Herath
For Kashmiri Pandits, the prasad offering at Shivratri puja is a charger piled high with rice, cooked lamb and fish, and a luscious raw fish in its entirety atop the pile.
Har Navum
On the 9th day of the month of ashad, Pandits in Kashmir offer the deity Sharika yellow rice cooked with turmeric, a little oil and salt along with tsarvan (goat's liver).
Navreh
The festival of Navreh, the Kashmiri New Year, is incomplete without nadur. A celebration often confused with the Nowruz of the Persians and Persianate cultures, Navreh is the welcoming of spring in the Northern hemisphere, and its date fluctuate, but always around to the March equinox.
Diaspora and fusion cuisines
Tibetan exiles in Kashmir, including members of Tibet's small Muslim population live in Srinagar, mainly in a small area near the 18th-century Hari Parbat fort. Popular momo (beef dumplings) shops and Tibetan restaurants are run by their children. Tibetan options include Cantonese chicken and kumloo wonton, fried pasta stuffed with minced mushrooms.
Kashmiri Sikh cuisine has a bit of influence from Punjab with onions and tomatoes, but the flavouring goes the Kashmiri way with elements such as badyaan (saunf). A large number of Indian tourists depend entirely on Vaishno Dhabas, the Valley's generic non-A/C restaurants that serve all-vegetarian North Indian fare.
Cooking methods
The master chefs, the waaze of Kashmir.Some Kashmiri cooking techniques are:
Blanching
The stalks of dandelion (haand) with their spiky-edged leaves have to blanched four times so that they bear no bitterness.
Convection
The traditional Kashmir food receives heat on two sides, top and bottom and the best results are obtained by slow heat using charcoal.
Braising
The leaves of Kashmiri haakh are braised in lots of water. It is very important to ensure that the haakh stays submerged underwater during the initial cooking process using a wooden spatula or large spoon to continuously push the greens down. Mustard oil, which is used extensively in Kashmiri cuisine, imparts an extra flavour to the dish.
Tenderising and preparing riste, one of the most important dishes in a Kashmiri feast.
Court-bouillon
Much of Kashmiri cooking relies on a fragrant meat stock. The main skill of a wazwan lies in the preparation of this stock made of onions and shallots. Freshly shaped meatballs (rista and goshtabeh) are poached in this lamb stock flavoured with cinnamon and black cardamom, and simmered.
Tempering
Whole spices must be fried in oil – clove, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves. Fried too little, and the dish will be lifeless, without fragrance. A second too much, and one will be left with nothing but bitterness. Hot ghee or mustard oil is poured on top and garnished with fried praan (shallots) paste & saffron extract.
Caramelisation
Sliced onions are fried until golden brown and pureed with minimal water.
Emulsification
The yoghurt must be fatty, thick. Dried mint, just a pinch, is added right at the end to freshen the dish.
Food colouring
Relevant dishes are further enhanced in colour by saffron extract (rogan josh and rista) or mawal (dried cockscomb flower). Kashmiri chilli is also added in excess sometimes to produce a red colour. Tomato is incorrectly used as a substitute when mawal and rattanjot are not available. No authentic version cooked in Kashmir has tomatoes.
Simmering
The food gets its flavours and textures from the spices being slow cooked with ingredients until they let out their inherent juices and fats and melt together.
Smoke point
Smoking mustard oil is a treatment known as durust, and gets it ready to use after cooling off.
Dum cooking
The cooking vessel in the shab deg is sealed with dough before being cooked over a simmering fire through the long winter night. Dum cooking was made popular by the Mughal courts around the 16th century.
Tenderising
Goshtabeh and rista, the two meatball dishes are rarely found outside the valley because their unique texture is enormously challenging. The sheep has to be freshly slaughtered and the meat pounded before rigor mortis sets. To incorporate air to make them light and fluffy, the meat undergoes a process of being folded while beaten.
Cooking material
The quality of pots is important, according to wosta (ustad) or chef Nazir Ahmed Aram. He says they must have the right content of copper. Using wood (walnut and apple are the best) is important too. Cooking on gas is not the same.
Similarities with other cuisines
Much like Kashmir, its people, and its narrative traditions, Kashmiri cuisine too is an amalgam of influences from Central Asia, Persia, China, and the Indian subcontinent. Food recipes passed down from one culture to another are:
Aab Gosh (Kashmiri). Abgoosht or Abgusht is more so a one-pot Persian comfort food that is a rustic dish with wholesome ingredients. It has been enjoyed by Persians for centuries. There is a similar dish in Armenia, called Abgoosht stew, using beef instead of lamb.
Batte (Kashmiri). Short-grain, sticky rice is called bata in Afghanistan.
Harise (Kashmiri). Al Harees is a traditional Emirati dish consisting of wheat, meat(chicken) and salt. A simple, traditional Saudi dish using crushed wheat is called jareesh. Harissa, also known as herisseh, harisa or keshkeg in Armenia is a wheat berry and meat porridge. The wheat, usually known as korkot, is shelled making them quicker to cook. Boko Boko Harees in Burundian cuisine is a delicacy prepared with chicken, turmeric and bulgur wheat. Amritsari Hareesa is a famous dish of the winter season in Lahore, Pakistan and made with wheat and meat. It is seasoned with desi ghee and served with hot naan.
Kabab (Kashmiri). The Turkish word kebap derives from Arabic kabaab meaning roasted meat. A likely East Semitic root means to burn, to char or to roast. The Babylonian Talmud even teaches that offerings in the temple should not be kabbaba (burnt). Ibn Battuta, the famous Moroccan traveller mentioned that kebab was an integral part of the daily diet of Indian royalty as early as 1200 AD. Some of the world's best and most flavourful kebabs such as Adana Kebab, Urfa kebab, Iskender kebab come from Turkey's southeastern provinces. The Döner kebab was invented by İskender Efendi, who lived in Bursa and hung meats vertically to grill. One of the most popular kabobs you can find on the streets of Iran is kabob koobideh, ground lamb or beef or a combination of the two. The traditional method of cooking Afghan chapli kebab is frying.
Kahwe (Kashmiri). A staple Afghan tea, kahwah is mild and fragrant, and recipes tend to differ from family to family.
Katlam (Kashmiri). Qatlama in traditional Turkish means folded which comes from the verb qatlamaq (to fold). Plain katmer is eaten with Turkish white cheese and Turkish tea. In Turkmenistan, a type of bread in baked from flour which is mixed with milk and egg. This is called katlama. It is also cooked in Azerbaijan, and various herbs are added to it. The fried Kazakh bread Kattama is very popular in Central Asia. Katama is an onion-filled swirled flatbread from Kyrgyzstan. In Uzbekistan, katlama is a traditional bread of Sunday mornings served with homemade butter. Qatlama is an Afghan fried sweet pastry topped with sugar or sugar syrups. Qator Gambir or Gambir are Mongolian pancakes which may often be a byproduct, when there is leftover dough from making some other dish. Kutluma is a layered Pakistani flatbread with a crispy, buttery texture.
Kulche (Kashmiri). In Afghanistan and Northeast Iran, these dried bread biscuits are called kulcha-e-khataye. Koloocheh in Iranian cuisine is a cookie stuffed with cinnamon, sugar and crushed walnuts.
Lavas (Kashmiri). The word lavash is repeatedly found in early Turkic written sources. Lavash is a Turkish bread made with flour, water and salt. It can be eaten hot or cold. This paper-thin, blanket-sized bread is one of Armenia's most ancient breads and is still being made today. In Azerbaijan, lavash is baked not only in traditional ovens (tandir) but also in saj, a large convex pan under which fire is made. In Azerbaijan and Iran, it is put on the bride's shoulders or crumbled over her head to wish the couple prosperity.
Luchi (Kashmiri). Very similar, Bengali luchai is a deep fried puffed bread.
Nabad (Kashmiri). Nabat in Persian is a type of confectionary mineral composed of relatively large sugar crystals, with bits of saffron in it.
Nadur (Kashmiri). In Afghan cuisine, Qormah e Nadroo is an onion-and-tomato-based stew using lamb meat or veal, yogurt, lotus roots and coriander.
Polav (Kashmiri). It looks as if pilaf was invented in Iran some time after the 10th century.The Turks call plain rice sade pilav. Turkey sees pilav primarily as a side dish rather than a main course. Iran is famous for its polos made with aromatic domsiyah rice. The most characteristic ones are based on fruits such as cherries, quinces, or apricots. In Central Asia, the simplest recipe uses onions, meat and carrots. The extravagant court traditions of the Moghul school of cookery makes India home to some very elaborate pulaos. Laborers from western India brought pilaf to the Caribbean, where it is garnished with butter, almonds and pimiento-stuffed green olives.
Roth(Kashmiri). The Afghan version of the universal West Asian and European sweet egg bread is called rot. In Afghanistan, it is traditionally served when a newborn child is forty days old.
Sheer Chai (Kashmiri). Qaimak or Sheer chai is often served at celebrations in Afghanistan to toast good health.
Yakhein (Kashmiri). Patates Yahni or Greek potato stew is a traditional Greek recipe which falls under the category of ladera, meaning dishes prepared only with olive oil with no addition of other fat. Turkish Yahni is a beef stew that is great in cold weather. A 19th century cookbook by Mehmet Kamil listed a total of 14 classic yakhnis. Yakhni nokhod is a traditional Shirazi dish that uses meat, peas, potatoes, onions, salt and turmeric.
Dam Olav (Kashmiri). Bengali alur dom is lightly spiced and slightly sweet potato curry made with onions, tomatoes and spices.
Etiquette of Kashmiri dining
Kashmiris are gregarious and like to share. Language and Food are the two vital parts of the region's identity. 'One who eats properly shall rule the country' it is said. An interesting wedding tradition from Kashmir involves newlyweds making roti together. While the bride flattens the dough and puts it on the griddle, the groom is responsible for flipping it and making sure it is cooked.Kashmiris are very particular about the taste of dishes. Food connoisseurs can easily taste a single morsel and name the waza (chef) who cooked it. They can smell an aubergine from four other kinds, and tell you which one is from Kashmir. When filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri wrote a presumptuous tweet proposing the idea of vegetarian wazwan, social media erupted in spontaneous protest. Also, Gordon Ramsay, multi-Michelin-starred chef and television personality, found himself at the receiving end of criticism for his Rogan Josh by Kashmiris who commented that the cut of the meat and the gravy were wrong.
A Kashmiri family.
In Kashmir, it is said that food should both taste and look good. Its aroma must be appetising. Success of a meal lies in its appeal to the eyes, nose and then the tongue. Any event, from a minor one such as receiving a guest in one's home, to a major one such as a circumcision or a wedding, becomes a celebration of preparing, laying out, serving and consuming together the most delicious victuals. Delicacies are passed on to neighbours to be relished and there is no shame in asking for something when the nostrils are tickled and tempted by the mouth-watering smells from a neighbour's kitchen.
Giant dastarkhaans (white sheets) are spread on the floor on which the meal is served. However humble or lofty the fare on it, the dastarkhaan has always been the center of warm hospitality and conviviality. In big Kashmiri dinners, a hundred to five hundred people are usually invited. Since insurgency and the resultant violence and bloodshed, food has come to hold even greater meaning as each meal signifies a celebration of life itself. It is worth mentioning that wazas (the descendants of Samarkandi cooks), whose shops are located in particular areas of the city of Srinagar, form a significant political group in Kashmir.
All dishes are eaten by hand as Kashmiris believe in an intimate relationship with food. Even spiritual and religious old biddies feel no qualms in chomping on ear cartilage or marrow bones long after the meal is done, pulverising everything into a heap on the thali. No one bats an eyelid. Kashmiris consider it disrespectful if one refuses food varieties or an extra helping. They can go great lengths to persuade, swearing to die if you refuse an extra serving!
Food-related proverbs
Kashmiri language is rich in proverbs and idioms. Food-related idioms include:
Adyav kheyiv chinih adyav kheyiv taki — half the people ate from large dishes, and half from small dishes. A badly arranged dinner.
Akh chhiwyov masah byak hakah rasah — one man is intoxicated with the juice of the grape, another with juice of vegetables. Pride dwells in everyone, whether he be rich or poor.
Akh duda biyi maji kyut toak — an uninvited guest wants a (toak) plateful for his mother, in addition to himself. Toak was an earthen plate, in general use in Kashmir in the past. Beggars and some uninvited people pushed themselves in among the guests because of their poverty, or their desire for tasting the delicacies. It is applied where a person is not content with what is willingly offered to him, and demands more.
Apih hund gyav — a foolish woman's ghee. A foppish person. Kashmiri people, both wealthy and others, rubbed their hair with fresh ghee.
Batah gajih ruhun — as garlic upon the hearth of a Pandit, so your presence is to me. The ancestors of the Hindus would not eat garlic because of their aphrodisiac effects, having devoted themselves to religion.
Batook Poth — to have eaten batook poth (duck's backside) is an expression in Kashmiri for someone who talks a lot.
Chaanis haakhas chha paakuk haajat — does your haakh require hard cooking? A sort of ironic flattery with the sense that your haakh is so delicate, it takes hardly any time to cook.
Chaantis animu mathun — to grease one's mouth with gruel. To cover up starvation for mere shame.
Chayi tani ya gani magar tech gachi cheyn — tea, whether weak or strong, should be taken hot.
Dali Baate ti Khoji thool — dal for a Pandit and an egg for a Khoja, the kind of food they like.
Doori doori marts meethan, nishi nishi naabad tyathaan — pepper tastes sweet from afar, sugar tastes bitter when too near.
Hardas gurus metras, sontah gurus shetras — autumn butter-milk for the friend, and spring butter-milk for the enemy. Consequently, the milk is better in the autumn.
Hari tang tah zulahnai, muhuri tsont tah zulit — if the pear cost only a cowrie it should not be peeled, but if the apple cost a sovereign it should be peeled. Natives of Kashmir seldom skin a pear, but always skin an apple. Apple-skin, they say, is not easily digested.
Haruch gugaj tah Laruch gunas chhih barabar — a June turnip and a Lar serpent are equal. A native would not eat June turnip on any account, while Gunas is a round-headed serpent met with principally in Lar parganah, whose bite is generally fatal.
Majji bhatee — food served by mother is the best food.
Phata Wangun — a burst eggplant, literally, a sly young man often too clever for his own good.
Rogan o zafaran az Pampur, sag az Latapur brinj az Nupur; barrah az Nandapur. Puttu o mahi az Sopur; mong az Kralapur. Arad az Khampur. Shir az Shadipur. Angur az Repur — Pampore (the place) for ghee and saffron, Letapur for vegetables. Nipur for rice. Nandapur for lamb. Sopore for pattu and fish. Kralapur for dal. Khampur for flour. Shadipur for milk. And grapes from Repur.
Talwe peyi na tangah — wishing a pear falls from ceiling is a vain hope.
Chaki pechni ras, yath poshi tas — When someone keeps bragging about this which they usually don't have..
Khar kya zani zaffran kya gow — a donkey won't understand the taste of saffron.
badhshah saab khar ne khewan zab, yeli poras teli kheyi zab — usually said for unthankful people who don't accept food.
Sustainable consumption
Kashmiri women would previously take extra mutton dishes by packing them in old newspapers or plastic bags that they would carry. With time, this tradition became popular, and men soon began travelling with the remaining mutton on their traem (wazwan copper dish). In Kashmir, taking leftover food into carrying bags evolved into a movement, and people also granted it social legitimacy. Even the elites have joined the cause and begun providing specially made carry bags of leftover food. Even the leftover rice is not wasted in marriage functions and is served to animals (dogs, cattle etc.).
In Kashmir, a now-abandoned practice would use green Chinar leaves in packaging delicate things like mulberry, butter, mutton and cheese. This would help these easily contaminable items to stay nontoxic till consumption.